Eric Chelle’s side sit fourth in Group C with just seven points from six matches, trailing group leaders South Africa by six points with four games remaining.
Following a lacklustre 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in March, Nigeria must secure victories in their remaining matches to revive their World Cup hopes, having missed out on Qatar 2022 after a play-off defeat to Ghana.
However, the newly signed JS Saoura striker remains positive that Nigeria will secure one of Africa’s World Cup spots, insisting that a win over the Amavubi could get the three-time champions back on track.
"Certainly, qualification is still very possible for Nigeria,” Alimi, who was one of Nigeria’s stand-out performers at the 2024 African Nations Championship, told Flashcsore.
"This is football, and we all know that anything can happen within seconds. What matters most is that we remain focused, disciplined, and ready for every situation that comes our way.
"With the quality of players, we have and the determination within the squad, I believe we can rise to the occasion and keep our dream alive.
"This match against Rwanda is one of the most important fixtures in the qualifying series right now and a positive result could prove decisive and serve as the lifeline.
"The players understand the weight of the occasion, and I am confident they will rise to the challenge. From my heart, I wish the team the very best of luck."
Coach Adel Amrouche’s side sit second in the group and remain hopeful of securing their first-ever World Cup qualification.
The East Africans arrive at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium encouraged by the fact that Nigeria have yet to win a home game since the qualifiers began.
Even so, Alimi stresses that the team’s desire to play at the World Cup is enough to motivate his teammates to succeed, regardless of the visitors’ optimism.
He continued: "I believe the momentum we have built and the strong desire to be at the World Cup will serve as our biggest driving force going into this game.
"We understand how significant this opportunity is, not just for us as players but for the entire nation. Our hunger and determination can make all the difference on the pitch, and I trust the team will give their all to secure the result we need."
Victor Osimhen’s first-half brace secured a 2-0 win for the Super Eagles over Rwanda in the reverse fixture at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium.
The Nigerian Premier Football League icon believes that the result should serve as motivation for the team heading to Saturday’s game.
"Definitely, you can’t take the pressure away from both sides in a game of this magnitude,” he added.
"Hopefully, (the result in Kigali) will reflect in a positive way on the team’s performance and help us secure the result we are all hoping for.
"I believe our foreign-based professionals are more accustomed to handling such pressure, given their experience at the highest levels of football."
Alimi has been a consistent presence in the Super Eagles squad, largely due to his standout performances in Remo Stars’ historic NPFL triumph.
However, he was rested for the fixtures against Rwanda and South Africa to recover after his participation in CHAN 2024.
After Saturday’s match, Chelle and his men will travel to Bloemfontein for their next fixture against Bafana Bafana at the Free State Stadium.
